Her royal Secret
by Naty17
Summary: My birthday present to Faye. Claire is hiding a secret from everyone- but it's about to be found out. She'll be forced to marry someone she doesn't love, and live a life she doesn't want. Is there a way to get out of this? There just might. Minor Graire


**Her royal Secret**

_To Faye, my dearest friend here on Fanfiction: I hope you have a really great birthday, and I'm really sorry if this gets posted late. I really hope you'll like it, even if I know you won't tell me if you don't- you're just too nice that way –and I hope we can always be friends, even if we've never met in person. Happy birthday, wifey!_

_So yes, this is my birthday gift to my best fanfiction friend, wipe-your-tears. She's awesome. Like, angel from heaven type of awesome. *wink wink* ; )_

_I currently don't even know what couple I'm even doing this for, so this is… basically me improvising. But hey, it should still be good! Uh… *starts brainstorming* Aha! I've got it! We've got a Graire fic coming up! You know, Claire and Gray? Does anyone even say Graire anymore? -.-"_

_By the way, Faye, just because I know you love Paramore, there will be some loose little mentions of a certain Paramore song's lyrics. Try to guess which song it is!_

_Without further ado…_

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><p>I'm happy here. In fact, I don't think I've ever been happier.<p>

I've always wanted to be out of there. I'd always dreamed of being in an open area like this, with a beach nearby, trees everywhere I looked, and of being able to smell the fresh air, rid of any pollutants.

I wasn't even sure there was such a place. But here I am, leaning against the man I love on the beach, watching the waves drift onto the soft white sand, watching the birds-

"Claire?"

"Hm?" I snapped out of my daydream and looked up at his face.

"Finally! I've been calling your name for at least a minute!" Gray laughed. I beamed.

"What can I say? I'm a daydreamer, and I always will be!" I giggled.

"What were you thinking of?" he asked, brushing back a loose strand of hair.

I thought of how to phrase this. "I… was imagining I was a princess." Gray chuckled at this. "But I wasn't happy there. I didn't like being stuck in a castle; I felt like Rapunzel!"

Gray fingered my long blond hair. "You're going to need to skip a few haircuts if you want to become Rapunzel."

"And you were there too!" I added, ignoring his comment. "You were my knight in shining armor!" That made him crack up. "You were the one who came to save me, and you brought me here!"

He raised a brow at me, seeming very amused. "You practically live in a fairy tale, you know that?" he asked.

"Yes, I know that!"

If only he knew how close that was to the truth… Technically, it wasn't Gray who saved me from the detestable castle. It was Mayor Thomas's letter he sent to all the villagers of my country. Or maybe it was the peasant who dropped her letter?

Either way, I got out. That's all that matters.

"Gray! You lazy butt, you haven't finished your work yet!" Saibara, Gray's grandpa, roared, as he walked down the path. "You can't just be lounging here at the beach yet, like you- Oh, hi Claire!" he said, as he finally noticed me.

Saibara seemed to have a soft spot for me. What I did to earn it, I'm not quite sure. In fact, everyone seemed to like me. They said I was so optimistic, it made them happy to be around me. It's hard to be optimistic, though.

Saibara looked from me to Gray, and back, then sighed. "One more minute, then you have to come back."

I laughed, as Saibara hobbled away.

"That guy… he seems to love overworking me." Gray sighed.

"He did give you an extra minute with me!" I pointed out. Gray rolled his eyes.

"You live in another world. How can you be so happy around him?" Gray asked.

"You know, he's a lot like you, in many ways." I said, preparing myself for an outburst on Gray's part. "If I'm in love with you, it's kinda hard not to love him too."

Obviously, I surprised Gray, because instead of yelling at me about me saying he and his grandpa were a lot alike, his face twisted in disgust. "Please don't start dating Gramps…!"

I laughed again. It felt good to laugh here. Before, I couldn't. Now, I was happy. I could be happy. I was in my own dreamland.

Gray looked back behind him. "I'd better go now." He said.

"Why? It hasn't been a minute yet!"

"You know Gramps; one minute to him is 10 seconds." I smiled, knowing this was true.

"Okay…" I said, lifting myself off him.

He kissed my head. "I'll see you later?"

"You'd better." I said, and he stood up. I watched him leave, until I could no longer see him, then stood, and took off my sandals.

I walked around in the sand, feeling lucky I hadn't stepped on something sharp yet. The last thing I needed was another visit with Doctor Trent. He was nice and all, but I'm sure he didn't need me back in his office again. Gray worried too much…

I traced the words 'Claire + Gray' in the sand, drawing a heart around, and smiled. I would never have been able to do that with my ex-fiancé. He would've scolded me for being childish.

I breathed in the fresh air, and started back towards the farm plot, still barefoot.

Yes, I lived on the farm plot, but I wasn't a farmer. I was only renting the house temporarily, until I could find a suitable job that would pay off the cost of having my own house built.

Of course, it would be a waste not to use some of that land. I grew tomatoes in one corner, and watered them everyday. That was my policy: one crop at a time.

I didn't know what I wanted to be yet- I never had to worry about it before. I had all the money I could ever need- I didn't have to worry about running out.

I was walking down the path, passing by the town hall (1), when something caught my eye- or rather someone.

A girl was standing in front of the town hall, talking to Mayor Thomas. Her dress was red, reaching the ground in length. Both the sleeves and skirt were puffed out, and I could see the strings in the back from a corset.

It wasn't the dress that told me I was in trouble though; it was the familiar red bandana I saw beneath her big floppy red hat.

When I sped up my pace, trying to get away, Mayor Thomas caught glimpse of me. Oh no…

"Oh! And there she is just now!" he announced, pointing in my direction.

I turned my head away as fast as I could, but it was no use. I knew Chelsea was already running over to me. "Claire? Claire, is that you?"

It was no use pretending. I turned to look at her, a miserable frown now on my face.

"Oh, Claire, we've finally found you!" she said, as she squeezed her arms around my torso.

So my perfect fantasy was about to disappear, huh? I really couldn't ever escape my past, huh?

Well then. Lesson learned.

Keep your feet on the ground if your heads in the clouds, because no matter how much dreaming you do, reality always catches up.

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><p>"My goodness Claire, we've been looking for you for over a year! I've called your mother, and she's sent guards to arrest your kidnapper. Are you alright?"<p>

It's about time I explain my unusual past.

My name is Claire. I am 21 years old. I am also the princess of a country called Apricis (2). Chelsea here is the duchess, and my cousin.

Shocking, I know. As for how I ended up in Mineral Town…

I hated the life of a princess. I couldn't go where I wanted to. I couldn't voice my own opinions on anything. All I could do was courtesy, and be the pretty face people expected me to be.

A princess isn't a ruler. I'm a girl; I don't have a say. All I do is carry the will-be King's children. Speaking of the will-be King… Will is his name. He's charming, but that's all he is. Underneath the flattery and the compliments, there is no love.

All he wants is to be King. I'm only a requirement to get there.

I hated it there. I felt trapped. So one day, I dressed as a servant, and ran away to Mineral Town. I could only bring pocketfuls of money, and the clothes I was wearing. Thankfully, my overalls were quite comfy.

I would sometimes go to the city. About once or twice every two weeks, just to check up on news.

I heard the stories about me. They assumed I'd been kidnapped. 'Of course poor little Claire wouldn't run away, she's too much of a good girl! She'd never even dream of doing something like that!' Think again.

I heard the news that they were searching for me worldwide; I just didn't think they'd look in such an under-populated town.

And now, they'd finally found me.

"Claire? I asked if you were alright!"

"I'm fine, Chelsea."

"Oh, you poor thing, you look so miserable! Life here must've been terrible! Don't worry, we'll have you home soon enough. Everything will be fine. We just need to find your kidnapper. Please tell us who it was, Claire, it would make things so much easier!"

"I've told you already, Chelsea, I wasn't kidnapped!" I snapped. "I ran away with my own will!"

Chelsea shook her head, as she tightened my corset. "Nonsense. I know that isn't true. Don't even speak that rubbish, you won't fool anyone."

She paused. "I've heard stories of girls growing fond of their kidnappers. You must realize, Claire, whoever he is, he doesn't love you. He only wants money. It's what all men want. Well, except for Will, of course. He is an absolute dear! He was so worried about you, he-"

I stopped listening to Chelsea's rambles.

I'd have to go back there. I didn't want to go back.

What about Gray? Would I ever see him again?

"Ooh, we can finally resume planning the wedding! Your mother will be thrilled! Claire, you'll finally become Queen! And Will can be your King! It's every girls dream, isn't it?"

"Every girl except for me…" I muttered, knowing Chelsea wouldn't hear. Instead of listening, I glanced at myself in the mirror.

I looked like a princess. A pink gown was put onto me. A corset tied around my torso made my waist look smaller. Scratchy fabric went down to the ground. White silk gloves covered my hands, and my hair was done up nicely, braided along the sides.

No crown though. Chelsea said she couldn't risk having it stolen.

So this was my fate. I'd become the King's wife. I'd probably grow very serious, and laugh at my 'silly childish antics' that had happened back then.

So be it. If that was my fate, there was no way to fight against it.

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><p>I stood on the dock of the boat, watching my home become smaller and smaller, until it eventually disappeared from view.<p>

"We'll be going back soon, Claire. We'll find the evil soul that kidnapped you. We'll torture him so much, he'll wish he were never born." Chelsea tried to reassure me.

My optimism had dissipated. I felt miserable. Depressed. I wonder if they replaced my room? Changed the way it looked? It's not likely; they were so sure I'd come back. They probably didn't change anything all, from the color of my walls, to the order of my books.

After a few hours of depressed thinking, I could see land. It came closer, and closer, until I could see the roads, the houses, and even some people, small specks dotting the land here and there.

But what was hard not to see was the giant castle that sat proudly at the very back of the land. It cast a shadow on the houses, showing off about how much bigger it was compared to the teeny houses.

That… was now my home.

I felt a tear run down my cheek. It slid off my face, and into the dark waters, and the waters started to… sparkle? I frowned in confusion. What the…?

A teal-colored mist rose from the waters, rising up higher and higher until it was right in front of me. Slowly, the mist started to take a form. I could make out arms, a torso, legs, a head… until suddenly, a lady was floating in front of me.

She had long green hair, pinned into two buns on each side of her head. Her eyes were a beautiful blue.

"Tadaa~!" she said, as she was finally fully transformed. "I'm the Harvest Goddess. Surely you've heard of me…?"

I nodded in shock. I'd gone to the church at Mineral Town before. I knew who the Harvest Goddess was. But to have her appear before me like this…?

"I understand your situation. So now, I'm here to listen to you. Tell me, dear, what is your greatest wish?"

I glanced at the castle, and knew exactly what to say: "I wish… that castle would just disappear." I felt my anger boil. "I wish it would just… die, so we can bury it like a person, underground, where it can't get back out! Get rid of that stupid castle, brick by boring brick!"

The Harvest Goddess smiled. "Your wish shall be granted."

"Huh?" was all I managed to say before the ground started shaking.

The waters grew rough, almost as if they were trying to push as away from the land. The land… was shaking?

A huge crack was heard, and suddenly, the almighty castle started to sink.

"**EARTHQUAKE!**" Someone shouted.

I could only watch as my home sank into the ground. _'I wish it would just… die, so we can bury it like a person, underground, where it can't get back out!'_

My wish had just come true. The Harvest Goddess buried the castle.

Did that mean I was freed? Finally?

I stood on the dock watching, as the boat sailed away from the land, my castle sinking into the ground, being buried forever.

And for the first time since Chelsea found me…

… I smiled.

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><p><em><strong>To the one reading this story… I might as well tell you what happened next.<strong>_

**Claire was able to return to Mineral Town, where she told Gray the whole truth about who she was.**

**They are currently rebuilding the castle were Claire's mother hopes her daughter will return to. Little does she know, her daughter will soon go against her strictest rule:**

**Gray is proposing to her. Tonight.**

**The tragedy of the Apricis kingdom is slowly recovering. Most people escaped the earthquake. The ones who did not included Sir William** **Terry Louis Andrew Carrick Jonathan Dredge Hams Reading Roger Southwark Alwick Plymouth Junior Regison III. AKA, Claire's fiancé.**

**Claire still lives in her fantasy land. But finally, she will be allowed to stay there forever…**

_**The End**_

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><p><em>Phew! All done!<em>

_I was worried I wouldn't get this done on time! But no worries now! I DID IT! 0o0_

_Happy birthday, Faye! Love you lots! I hope you liked this one shot!_

_Oh, and did you figure out what Paramore song gave me the idea? Hm? _

_Please review!_

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><p><em>(1) Do they even have a town hall in MFoMT?<em>

_(2) She means Sunny Island. Sunny in Latin is Apricis._


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